Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Wander Franco took bat practice on the field Sunday for the first time since he was sidelined last month with a hamate bone injury in his right wrist that required surgery.
Franco said he will report to Triple-A Durham on Tuesday to start rehab in the minors.
The ambidextrous was able to practice from both sides of the plate.
“I’m not 100 percent right yet, but otherwise I’m fine,” Franco said. “The wrist is a little weak from the injury.”
The Rays, contenders for the playoffs, have 15 players on the injury list but must recover several players this month.
One of them is outfielder Harold Ramírez. The Colombian, in the midst of a good season with a .329 batting average, must begin rehabilitation after being placed on the disabled list on July 21 after a broken thumb.
For his part, outfielder Manuel Margot, who was batting .302 when he suffered a right patellar tendon injury in June, joined Durham this weekend.
Franco has been out since July 10. He also missed 23 games earlier this month with a sprained right quadriceps.
Relievers Nick Anderson (right elbow surgery) and JT Chargois (oblique tightness) and starters Yonny Chirinos (elbow reconstructive surgery) and Brendan McKay (thoracic outlet syndrome surgery) pitched in the minors this weekend.
